RWBY MonCon Compilation
by Planeshunter
Summary: Compilation of all the stories I'll hopefully write for the RWBY's reddit MonCon, starting April of 2016. I'll change the description to match the last story, in this case July's "Favorite Character"&"Fluff".
1. April 2016 Bitterness Road

**Konnichiwa, konnichiwa, Planeshunter here! This time (if this hideous monster called life allows for it) I present my humble submission for April's RWBY MonCon. I was late to even vote last month, but my congratulations to Jefardi for that 1st price, he was probably the one I would've voted for anyway ^^.**

 **So… this time the character is Qrow Branwen and the theme is storytelling. This basically means I can cheat by having him tell whatever story I want and getting away with it. And that's exactly what I'm gonna do. Qrow's still Qrow, so the tone of the story will be accordingly adjusted.**

 **Now, without further ado: The Bitterness Road,** **始まります** **!**

* * *

The night is chilly, and the slight layer of ice forming in his feathers isn't making the flight any easier, but he keeps on, scolding himself all the while.

 _How in the name of hell did I end up deciding Ruby needed my help the most?_ For the tenth time this hour, he asks himself the same question _I definitely had one too much that day._

Indeed, Ruby has three friends at her side, every single one as capable as a kid could be, and the most important, they were only fighting the grimm and Cinder. Yang, on the other side…

The train of thoughts gets interrupted when he finally reaches his good friend's home. After a slight hesitation, he locates Yang's window and perches in a close-by branch, tidying up his feathers before sneaking a peek. What's inside actually manages to make his heart ache.

There she is, sitting in her bed, spiritless like a caged bird, content with vacantly looking at the wall in front of her. He has heard that's how she spends all her time now. His niece, out of all people! It's pretty damn obvious that she's dying, and it's no sickness a doctor can help with. Her heart is rotting in a cage of shadows.

Yes, the enemy Yang faces is none other than herself.

Carefully, Qrow recovers his human shape and picks the window's lock. The girl doesn't react even when the cold night seeps into the room.

-" _Hey there, Firecracker!_ "

-" _Get out._ "

 _Well, that could've gone better…_

-" _That's no way to greet your favorite uncle, little miss._ "

-" _It's not like I could choose uncles!_ " -The red hints in her eyes for a second, but flickers out just as quickly- " _Forget it, this isn't worth it_."

Thoughtfully, Qrow unscrews his hip flask. _So it's come to this… But_ he takes a deep gulp _I'll be damned if I can't win this audience over._

-" _I never told you how your mother parted ways with us, didn't I?_ "

-" _Of course not_ " -The way the girl puffs her cheeks in protest, face leaning in her hand, is exactly like she did when she was a little kid- " _You and pops always clam up when it comes to mom!_ "

-" _Well, it's only natural_ " -He interrupts his reply to take another shot- " _Losing her was like losing an arm._ "

The kid eyes him with suspicion. That wasn't subtle at all, but it wasn't intended to be. And accomplished it's purpose flawlessly.

-" _It's also an absurdly convoluted story that involved classified information, but that's not that important. Whatever, a story must be told as a story. So now that I got your attention, let me start from the beginning._ "

* * *

 _It was a cold and dark night, not unlike this one…_

[ _Uncle, all your stories start the same way..._ ]

 _Shut up, kiddo, who's telling the story, you or me?_

 _Good._

 _Actually, the story begins during a mission before you were even born, you know? Now that I can tell you things I couldn't before, let's say this one was related to that little secret war Ozpin led against the shadows. The four of us were together for that one, one of the last times, I reckon. Aaah… those were good times…._

 _Anyway, we had some solid clue in a god-forgotten village in the middle of nowhere, far away from any safe haven._

(This is where an impressed gasp or a shocked interjection would be nice, but guess I can't expect much from this audience… yet)

 _Case is, we were played for fools. For some reason one of my trusty confidants decided to feed us some utter bulshit that time._

[ _Bet she got fed up with you flirting with every other lady right before her nose_ ]

 _Could be, Firecracker, could be. But putting it that way really stings. Anyhow, before we knew what was happening, Summer managed to get head first into a faunus slave liberation revolution of some kind._

 _I mean, I'm a mighty good guy myself. Don't laugh kiddo. But Ruby's mother has always been in a league of her own, if you know what I mean. Now I see a question in your eyes_ (not so dead after all, knew it) _but hold it back for now, everything in due time._

 _Case is, some good for nothing landowners decided that, since they were on their own out there, they got to do whatever they wanted, and had entire acres of cotton and coffee, tended by overworked and mistreated faunus. That short of thing was still going on in a smaller scale more or less everywhere you could find a lowlife, but something like this… never seen since the Faunus Rights Revolution. Truly a mystery how the place hadn't been overrun by the Grimm yet, with all that suffering and despair bottled up._

 _Apparently some random foreman had gone too far with 'disciplining' and one of the workers had died. That got the others riled up._

 _So between the angry mob that claimed the foreman's head and the few but well armed landowner guys saying 'screw you', we stood._

 _Dunno about the others, but I was seriously cursing the way Summer always managed to get her way. Oh, boy, what a fine mess we got in our hands! People both sides yelling taunts and curses, rising fists and doing ruder things._

 _Then someone throws a stone and everything finally gets out of control. We had to fight for our lives while our heroic leader yelled hysterically "Don't kill anyone! Don't kill anyone!". By the end of the day, two things worth of remembering had happened._

 _That ball of fluff that's your father actually lost her patience and rapped our fearless leader in her head, and that antisocial mom of yours went and accepted a disciple._

[ _Mom did? How was…?_ ]

 _He was a lot like her, to be honest. Wanted to know how to fight to avenge the dead man, who happened to be his father, and didn't bother hiding it. Not like he had to worry about it, it's Raven we are talking about, she wouldn't care. But, the case is… I learnt something reaaaaaaally juicy a while after._

 _You know, for some reason or another, your mom really warmed up to this kid. Lowered her guard around him and everything. That's how I managed to listen into their chat without getting caught. They were talking about the hunter system, kid had asked her why she was a huntress herself, when she had the strength to do whatever she wanted._

 _-"It's not that I believe in the system" -She answered after thinking about it for it's good five minutes- "But there's someone I trust more than myself, someone that believes."_

 _I bet the little guy was conveniently impressed by that answer. Kiddo, your mom always had a flair for dramatics, but that time she outdid herself._

[ _What happened then?_ ]

 _I got caught_

[ _You useless uncle..._ ]

 _Ungrateful little… Well, is late anyway and I came a long way to be here tonight. Guess I'll say hi to Tai and call it a night. We can finish this act here pick up tomorrow night where we left, when I come back from some errands._

* * *

With that, he stands to leave before an open-mouthed Yang.

-" _Everything alright, Firecracker?_ "

The obvious mocking tone makes the girl react. She hurriedly closes her mouth and turns her gaze to the window.

-" _Nothing, see you tomorrow. Or whatever._ "

Sardonic smile never leaving his lips, Qrow exits the room. Of course, there are no 'errands'. Well, he might take his old pal to a tavern, it's always hilarious seeing the huge guy getting dizzy from a couple of beers. What matters is to leave the girl stewing in her own curiosity. She's a clever one, and he has dropped enough spices for her to start fantasizing.

Tomorrow she'll be nicely cooked and a better audience than today.

[...]

* * *

 _Geez, it's gotten late… Sorry to make you wait, kiddo._

[ _I wasn't expecting much anyway_ ]

(Yeah, so that glint in your eyes must be the aliens, and I'm surely sober.)

 _That lack of trust hurts, kiddo._

 _Whatever, I promised you the second act, and that's what you're gonna get. You see, not too long after everything I told you yesterday, something. Well…_ _ **you**_ _happened. That surprised me, to be honest. Tai had always fancied Summer. Seeing that antisocial sister of mine snatch him away is probably the thing that makes me most proud of her._

[ _But then she left, and what happened was Ruby_ ]

 _Now you're sounding as if you spite her._

[ _No! But… you know..._ ]

 _Let's not get ahead of ourselves. First of all, the thing between your parents couldn't last. Raven's always been too independent for a normal relationship with her to work. Remember that faunus boy I told you about in the last act? The little rascal followed your mother anywhere. And, as soon as your breast-feeding was over, they both left in a journey. Oh, she dropped in from time to time to see you, but most of the time she was away._

[ _Uncle, I have heard that part a thousand times…._ ]

 _Okay, okay… but what I haven't ever told you, cuz your mother would kill me if she knows, is my personal opinion in the whole matter._

 _You see, I think she was scared of you, of bonding too deeply with her little baby and losing her freedom. That's why she left, taking that ginger boy with her to calm down her mother instincts._

 _Hey kiddo! Don't give me that look!_

 _Think about it this way, you are the only thing she was ever afraid of being tied to! Not even the love of her life was able to achieve that! My sister is an oddball, but she loves you… her oddball way._

 _Ahhh… You know… I think I have killed the mood. My bad. Tomorrow I'll tell you how the story goes._

* * *

Qrow stands up and motions towards the door, but he suddenly stops after feeling a tug in his truser leg.

-" _Come on, kiddo, I'm sure you'll appreciate some time alone I can't leave if you're grabbing my clothes._ "

 _Damn,_ he thinks, almost regretting his plan and sitting again, _I haven't seen her look this cute since she stopped being afraid of the dark at night._

-" _I… Never mind. You better tell me more tomorrow._ "

The grumpy tone is still there, but… yeah, this is working out perfectly.

[...]

The third night he catches the girl going through a photo album.

-" _Yo, kiddo! Getting nostalgic?_ "

She doesn't bother hiding it, throwing an accusatory stare at him instead.

-" _That's because my 'favorite' uncle had me waiting the whole day!_ "

 _Well, well, well… I'd say this counts as nicely cooked. Now we can start the main act!_

* * *

 _I have already told you how your mother got into the habit of wandering the world with his little squire. The dynamic we had those days kind of worked for a while. Summer and Tai more or less settled in for a couple of years, to take care of you first, then of your baby sister too._

 _All the while Raven and me minded our own business through the world. We dropped by often, and you were still too young to wonder why your mom spent so little time with you, so everybody was more or less happy._

 _Those were good years. We were at peace, and we vagabonds could just wander around the world, knowing we had a home to go back to and a family waiting for us there. Not everything in the garden was rosy, tho._

 _As time passed I noticed both sis and his small follower growing darker and more disillusioned with the world. But before I could really worry about the matter, a real mission came. One that would gather the old team for the last time._

 _I remember that one as if it was yesterday. When I reached the meeting point, your dad and Summer were already waiting. She was the same as always, with that hood of hers, so white it hurt the eyes. Not that I was hungover or anything, but seriously, I always wondered how she always kept that damn thing stainless._

 _Your dad was, well… hilariously awkward. I don't think he went into any real mission after you kids were born. But there he was, trying to not look too out of place. Hah! As if he had ever been any good at deception. Or that giant frame of his could go unnoticed besides her tiny partner..._

 _Raven arrived as I was about to poke some fun at his expense._

 _Her usual follower wasn't anywhere to be seen and her frown was darker than ever. Man, she's never been the warmest ice cube in the fridge, but she looked really…_ _ **sour**_ _. I honestly worried about getting a catfight there and then, but she still cracked a smile when Summer greeted her. Not that I got anything more than a nod my way, mind you…_

[ _Who would've thought?_ ]

 _I know, right?_

[ _So my uncle had a sister complex all this time..._ ]

 _What? No! How the hell have you reached_ _ **that**_ _conclusion?_

 _Anyway, our fearless leader was so eager to talk with my sister that In the end we got into our ship without me having a chance to get a real word in._

[ _Where were you going?_ ]

 _To the Western Dragon's Maw._

 _Damn it, kiddo. I know you're now in the loop, but I'm still not sure if I should tell you about this…_

[ _Come on! You can't leave me hanging after telling me all this!_ ]

 _Fine, fine… You know how that whole continent is off-limits? There's a good reason for it, the place is swarming with creatures of Grimm, some of them truly ancient. Ozpin hoped to discover why they tended to gather there. If you have paid attention in class, you'll know the Grimm get smarter as they get older, but that doesn't explain mass behaviours like this one._

 _What we found out was… Now listen to me, kiddo, I'm only telling you this because it plays an important part in the story, but this is top secret, okay?_

[ _Whatever, you know I can keep a secret!_ ]

 _Then why am I so worried? You see… The beowolves, ursa, deathstalkers… even that huge-ass dragon that attacked Beacon, they are just the brawn. There are far worse things within the ranks of the Grimm, things that won't give you the chance to fight back. And what we found there was… the brain, quite literally._

 _Oh, I've spoiled the good part, ain't I? And here I was planning to tell you how I showed off in our way there… Now you won't shut up until I tell you what happens next, right?_

 _Turns out, the Grimm isn't as disorganised as we think. They got generals and strategists, just like humans. It's not that they become smarter as they get older, not only that at least. They become more receptive to their generals' commands, that's why as an alpha can take control of a pack of beowolfes, it is at the same time directed by something else._

 _Now in this dust-forgotten land we found something that had been human, once. At first we thought it was a simple Grimm. They come in all kind of animal forms after all, why not human? So we engaged the fucking thing. It was strong. We, one of the best teams of hunters in the world, mind you, were toyed with._

 _And then it went and talked! It taunted us, and provoked us into revealing information. The thing knew about Ozpin, talked about him as if they knew each other. The things it said… up to this date, I don't know if they were true or not, but certainly was enough to shake us._

 _And that could very well be the end of it all. Tragic end for your favorite heroes, but here we are… more or less. And that's because of your mother. You see, all those 'revelations' destined to break our spirits and perception of the world… They didn't work on her. Normal values don't mean shit for her. Where we three saw the base of our beliefs shattered, she only saw threats against her loved ones. And so she stroke._

 _I told you once she's a dangerous woman, right? That's only when she's calm. Once she throws all caution through the window, she's deadly. Seeing her fight the thing alone brought us back to our senses, reminded us that it was no time for doubt. And a last, desperate assault we forced her to flee. Or so we thought. In our way back, Summer got sick._

 _Now, I'm sure you've done your maths, kiddo. The dates fit, and you know Summer died during a mission, but…_

 _Oh, damn it!_

* * *

That last interjection has nothing to do with the story, and Yang blinks a couple of times, brought back to reality.

-" _What… what's wrong?_ "

-" _I'm out of booze._ "

-" _You stopped because of_ _ **that**_ _?_ "

-" _Look here, Firecracker, no booze, no story, those are the rules. Guess I'll have to get come back tomorrow._ "

-" _No!"_ -Realizing what she's doing, Yang stops herself in the act of trying to grab him again. Blushing furiously, she stares at the floor - " _I… I mean, I'm sure pops keeps some around, you could grab some and..._ "

-" _That'll make me a thief, kiddo._ " -He answers, hiding an amused smirk- " _Also, I wouldn't know where to look for it._ "

-" _Geez!_ " -In her hurry to leave the bed, the girl gets stuck with the sheets. After some struggle and half-stumbling, she manages to get up. -" _Just stay there, you useless uncle, I'll get it for you!_ "

And like that she storms out. Qrow can only speculate about lady business, but that's the first time he's seen her leaving the room. Suddenly losing his smirk, he empties his hip flask in one go He'll need it for what comes next, and it wouldn't do to be caught in a lie either way.

[...]

* * *

 _Okay, as I was saying, Ruby's mom fell sick during our flight back. At first she just got weaker, dizzy feverish… the usual things. But then she started changing. Her hair and skin were turning paler and her blood and eyes darker, and pain constantly lashed through her body. By the time we reached Beacon, she needed a stretcher and restrains to not hurt herself even further._

 _Ozpin received us with the rest of his little inner circle. Apparently he suspected what we were going to find in the Dragon's Maw, but kept it to himself. What's worse, he knew of Summer's 'condition'. Apparently there's some kind of bug Grimm that can infect humans and turn them to their side. They are extremely rare and weak, but there's no going back once they gets close enough to their prey, she was turning into Grimm._

 _We didn't had much time, and we would've probably wasted it panicking and arguing about what to do, but we never got the chance. The moment Ozpin said there was no turning back, James fucking self-righteous Ironwood shot her down in her stretcher. Then Raven almost cut him in half. And, even if I really wanted to do the same, we all had to suppress her together so she wouldn't finish the job._

[ _But then, is Ozpin's fault that… and Ironwood just..._ ]

 _Shit, I hate this part…._

 _Okay, now listen here kiddo, and listen well. Because I'm about to do the adult talk and I hate doing the adult talk. So I',m only going to say this once. Ozpin was wrong keeping secrets to us, but we all make mistakes. Ironwood behaved like a dick, but he did the fucking right thing. I'm bitter about everything, and I'll remind them that at every chance I get. But it was not their fault. Sometimes…_

[ _Bad things just happen_ ]

 _Ex-fucking-actly. If only Raven could understand that… That night she left us for good. No more visits, no more hunter jobs. She just walked away to never return, leaving ominous parting words._

 _-"I have just lost everything I believed in. Don't ever look for me."_

 _It took me a while to connect this with that conversation I overhead some years earlier._

[ _The one about believing in someone who believed?_ ]

 _You've always been a smart one, Firecracker. Summer was the reason she stayed in our side. And once that reason disappeared, she and that little squire of hers vanished. Who would've thought he would reappear like that…_

[ _What… what do you mean?_ ]

 _Lost already, kiddo? And I praised you a second ago… Have you met any ginger male faunus lately? Awfully skilled with a sword, maybe?_

[ _You can't mean..._ ]

 _You can be fucking sure I mean it._

[ _But what am I supposed to..._ ]

 _That ain't telling you, Firecracker. I tell stories, and man if I didn't do a good job this time. But is a fuckload to think about, and only you can decide how to act on it. Or how to not act, that's up to you._

 _But your mom is out there, possibly working with the enemy, most likely out of bitterness for what happened so many years ago. His apprentice is out there to take revenge upon humanity, for sure out of bitterness for the loved ones he's lost. Your partner is, believe it or not, plotting her own revenge against her ex, out of bitterness for what he did to you._

 _Now, it's not like I have any right to preach on you, I'm the fucking same. Maybe I still drop hints and helps here and there, but at the end of the day, I'm simply too bitter to even care about the whole mess anymore. Still figured you deserve a fair warning, Firecracker, this is where the bitterness road leads to._

 _So, when you decide what to do, don't forget to tell me. I'll admit I'm curious about your answer._

* * *

 **And that's it ladies and gentlemen. Did you see it coming? How did I do?**

 **I'd have to admit Qrow has never been one of my favorite characters. I mean, he's cool, but I'm pretty partial about… males in general, so he never caught my attention during the show.**

 **Re-watching episodes and reading wikis to write this story, I've build around him the image a bard. A bit like the stories from the old ages, when they were half-performers half-mystics. His crow form really helps with that. A bit from Dragon Age, where Leliana explains how they often dubbed as spies and assassins.**

 **The way he keeps interrupting his story to build up anticipation I got from Scheherazade and The Thousand and One Nights. Well, he only tells a single story, but you get the idea. I have to admit too that this doesn't 100% fit with canon. Besides infinitude of details that I could be missing (maybe how Ironwood got his prosthetic is already explained somewhere, maybe I messed up with some of the other things I completely made up thinking they aren't addressed in the show yet), there's the detail of Raven 'often visiting' after Yang's birth. I'm… pretty sure I could've told the story anyway without deviating, but heck, I liked how it went like this.**

 **Also, anyone following my work might notice which part of the way Volume 3 ends prickles me the most. Damn it all, my poor beloved Yang didn't deserve that! I hope all those people foretelling a Dark Yang are in the wrong '. And I hope that Adam burns in the deepest pits of hell too, but that might be biased.**

 **Anyway, Until here "The Bitterness Road", hoping it has been interesting, signs off:**

 **-Planeshunter**


	2. May 2016 Just Desserts

**Konnichiwa, konnichiwa! Planeshunter desu!**

 **So, how's everything going? This month's character is Neopolitan, and the theme is Revenge. Believe it or not, it took me a while to figure out something I was comfortable with writing, but here it is!**

 **Now, without further ado: Just desserts** **始まります** **!**

* * *

 _From the hull of the enormous airship, all the chaos and distress on ground feels like the frantic frenzy of a kicked anthill. Hmm… watching people from a high place is a little pleasure she will never admit to anyone, but this is something on an entirely different scale._

 _Distracted with such thoughts, the huge blade of Little Red's weapon almost catches her. Geez, talk about overcompensating… She throws a pitiful smile her way, and the girl chokes with a frustrated growl, trying to hit her again and again, only to miss by a hair's breath._

 _This goes on for a while, but in the end the game gets old. No longer interested, she simply kicks the cloaked kid in the chest, throwing her from the hull. There's some clapping behind her, so she turns around and makes an elaborate bow towards Roman._

 _-"I'll give you nine out of ten, you rushed the end" -She pouts- "Oh, Neo, come on, don't give me that face, you know it doesn't work!"_

 _It does, and she knows, so she continues pouting until he approaches to pat her head. Finally satisfied, she lowers her head and closes her eyes, waiting for the treat. A treat that never arrives. When she worriedly steals a glance upwards, there's an enormous grimm swallowing the boots of Roman._

 _She freezes. The griffin finishes swallowing. How did she not notice the creature?_

 _But then she remembers. She never kicked Little Red out of the hull, she was the one kicked instead. She wasn't there to protect Roman. The griffin locks it's gaze on her, turning it's head slightly sideways like an oversized rooster. It should look hilarious, if not for some deep instinct screaming at her to remain motionless and hope for the predator to leave. Then it roars._

-" _[!]_ "

Neo wakes up with a silent scream, only to find herself face to face with that same grimm. She can feel her heart trying to jump out her throat, and it doesn't help when the monster breaks down with the sound of shattered glass.

A nightmare, and her semblance is acting up again. When she was a kid, it often surprised her, giving shape to her subconscious fears. It hadn't happened since _that_ day, but recently she has to deal with it almost every morning.

Taking away the frilly bedclothes and getting up, she slowly reaches towards the toilet and opens the cold water tap. This was frequent back then, but after all this time, she had hoped it would be water under the bridge.

Unceremoniously, she gets her head under the ice-cold water. It is not. It was Roman who took the nightmares away and, without Roman, she is a lost kid again, alone in the night. She rises her head again, and stares at the mirror in front of her. The mirrored image returns her stare with dead eyes, both chocolate.

It was ***them***. ***They*** took Roman away, and nothing she can do now will bring him back. She can only cry and dream. Actually…

The mirrored image blinks, and her left eye is now cream.

There is one more thing she can do.

The mirror image slowly smiles. There's no joy or humour reflected on it, though.

She can make sure ***they*** don't enjoy while she's grieving.

The mirrored image's right eye is now strawberry, and her eyes shine now with resolve, all the sadness set aside until the task at hand is leaves the toilet, the sound of shattered glass behind her. She has no time to spare with mirrored images, there is revenge to plan.

Towards the ***Little Red*** , who split them apart when Roman needed her.

Towards the ***Cinderella*** , who double-crossed them and let the grimm loose.

Toward the ***Bridbrain*** , because thinking about her just pisses her so much.

They will all get their just desserts.

* * *

She had decided to start off easy. The ***Little Red*** was a bit hard find, but she had thought that catching a kid unaware would've been a menial task for her. How wrong she was.

Locating her home wasn't hard, but arriving there took time. WIth long distance communications shut down by ***Cinderella*** , information and people traveled slowly. Then she discovered she had left home with a bunch of other kids, but nobody she could ask had the slightest idea about their destination, so she had to track them herself.

Now, it's not like she's incapable of tracking people in the wilderness if the situation calls for it. But she is more of a city dweller, spending long amounts of time outside civilisation does little to keep her good mood.

Case is, after all the work it took her to catch up, she found herself blocked by… him. She thinks she knows who he is. There can't be many drunkard scythe users out there, and there was one is in her list of dangerous people. It has to be some rule somewhere about shapeshifting semblances, if not for almost literally stumbling into him while he was transforming, her little plans of revenge could've ended before even starting

But now he's out of commission. Remembering the whole matter has her rolling her strawberry eyes in incredulity. How can be someone be sharp enough to keep her away (Not to flatter herself, but her stealth skills are top-notch) and at the same time, stupid enough to drink himself unconscious?

She's sure there's a snarky joke somewhere to be made, but Roman was the wisecracker of the team. She squints, eyes on her sleeping target, the clumsy blonde is on guard duty now, so it's time for revenge...

-" _Who's there?_ "

A soft, but wary voice breaks the silence, is the flower-boy. She stays perfectly still, holding her breath with trepidation. As soon as she takes care of a surprise, another rises to take it's place. Fortunately, the call attracts the blonde's attention, and they start talking. Seems like this problem solved itself too.

And yet she's sure she's made no sound in her approach, apparently the boy is sharp enough to just sense her aura, she'll have to be careful around this one in the future. With infinite care, she closes the final meters to her target. There she is, ***Little Red*** , peacefully sleeping in her little red sleeping bag.

The same smile her mirror image showed before creeps up her lips as she begins her task. Slowly, savoring every second of it, she unsheathes the blade hidden inside her parasol. She's going to enjoy this…

Minutes later, the two boys run to there, alerted by the sound of breaking glass. But before the horror they find, they can only cry in despair:

-" _Ruby! No! WHYYYYYYYYYYYY!_ "

 ***Little Red*** took time, but was easy. Now is when things get really interesting.

* * *

Still, as she watches the unlikely couple, she can't help but wonder how she's going to do it. ***Cinderella*** was bad enough, nevermind she's a crafty, evil crone, a false move and she's toast… literally. Taking her alone would have been hard enough.

But out of all the places she could've gone into hiding after the Beacon fiasco, she had to chose the bull-boy bed? Talk about ironic. Not that she doesn't find the joke funny, but the young White Fang leader has sharp instincts. He could probably sense her killing intent even sleeping.

Sighing, she closes her eyes and concentrates. Suppressing your own killing intent means letting go of all the emotions that can give you away and concentrating in the task from a technical viewpoint. She hates doing it, but there's no other way around.

Inside her mind, she takes every single feeling related to this revenge and, one by one, locks them down.

The first thing she takes down is her own distaste for this action. She's been called whimsical and loony before. Exaggerations, of course, but she's an emotional person. She doesn't really enjoy the planning thingy. That's what Roman is for.

Roman… that's where things get complicated. To suppress her emotions, she need to let go of the man, even if only for a while. You can't suppress vengeful impulses without suppressing the source.

That's why she locks down the knowing smile of Roman and the way just standing near him makes her warm and happy. She locks down that shine in Roman's eyes when he gets her her favorite dessert and she acts all childish and excited. She locks down the way Roman makes Melodic Cudgel dance in his fingers, and how his hand feels petting her head.

She locks down the fear and the coldness that came before, and the reaching hand who saved her. She locks down the nightmares, and the presence that took them away.

When she finishes and opens her eyes again, she feels strangely empty. She knew Roman was important, but seeing what remains of her after he's removed is… desolating. Looking at the couple sharing a bed in front of her no longer rises any emotion.

There's a moment when she doubts, when she's about to turn around and leave. After all, why go so far for someone she no longer feels anything about? But the locked up emotions will resurface soon, and if she doesn't act now, she'll regret it.

So she takes out the blade hidden within her parasol, and performs the deed as silent and precise as possible. When she's done, it will be hard to recognise the woman anymore.

* * *

Now for the last one. She left her to the last for two reasons. First, she's the most work for sure. And second, she wanted to get as much of her revenge done, in case she doesn't walk out of here alive.

Anyway, here she is. She has adopted every measure in the book to not get detected and then some. ***Birdbrain*** is sleeping, with her back towards her. She's against the wind and not making any sound. She has done the killing intent suppression stunt even more carefully than ever (she feels herself dull and boring like a history teacher), and lowered her aura to naught.

She made sure to wake up with her right foot, threw salt behind her shoulder and got a mummified toad in her left pocket (She's still not sure about that last one, but saw it once in a comic book, and she loses nothing for trying). She's even controlling the urge of changing flavors, lest this woman can detect the activation of semblances.

Armed with all this measures, she has stepped closer little by little, her advance in harmony with ***Birdbrain*** 's breathing, and she's now right in front of her voluptuous black mane. Even if she can't feel any emotion in the state she's in, she understands the motivations. It's finally time to exact revenge. For Roman.

This time she doesn't pull out her blade. This target is too dangerous, she needs a specialised tool. That''s why she pulls a pair of scissors instead. Yes, finally, ***Birdbrain*** will join the league of the baldy coots and she'll be able to sleep again.

Or maybe she'll go for a little bonus? ***Goldilocks*** seems really fond of her hair too…

Three words break her concentration, and almost give her a heart attack.

-" _Don't even try._ "

She shrugs and puts away her scissors before walking away without a second thought. Two out of three, works for her.

* * *

 **There it is. Shorter than expected, to be honest. I have been wanting for the chance to write some Neopolitan, but when it came to actually tell a story… I found myself scared shitless about writing from her perspective. She's one of my favorites, maybe second only to Yang, but she's a mysterious character whose personality isn't too defined in my mind. I think I work better with her in a support role, at least until I can outline my headcanon a bit better.**

 **Anyway, wew! I actually wrote funny! Ok, trap funny, but funny all the same. I had assumed I would go for angst in every single MonCon, but when I tried to write about Neo… this short of kinda happened. I mean, I picture her as a loony, her going to such lengths only to give a head shaving to her targets is the kind of thing that would make perfect sense to her (and her alone), as it would do to nonchalantly give up in her last target without a second thought.**

 **In a completely unrelated note, do any of you relate Neo to Tsukuyomi from 'Negima!?'? Maybe is just the parasol, sometimes that kind of visual reference sticks to my brain more than they should, but I often find myself filling the gaps in what I know about Neo with what I know about the crazy Shinmei-ryu girl. Just a random thought, don't give it too much credit.**

 **Until next time:**

 **-Planeshunter**


	3. June 2016 Best Dream Ever

**What is reality?**

 **What is truth?**

 **Is it a line, relentlessly advancing in a single direction?**

 **Is it a wheel, always cycling itself?**

 **Is it a plane, a three, a net?**

 **Or is it a kaleidoscope, where countless factors and probabilities can by shifted with but a simple shake, giving us a different outcome to behold?**

 **What could've happened if things were just a little bit different? If only one of the many colourful crystals that compose fate where to shift slightly?**

* * *

The kaleidoscope of light and sounds shifts around her again and again as she tumbles forward. Where's she? She needs to… go back. To Beacon. To family... She stumbles into something and is unceremoniously pushed aside.

-"Go sleep it off, you drunkard!"

Huh? That makes no sense… why would they call her a drunkard? Are they… looking for a fight? She unsteadily turns around, squinting hard in an attempt to make out the figure about to get a piece of Magnhild. She can't really focus, but there's couple of silhouettes walking away from her. They shift and blur, getting closer until almost becoming one, only to split again later on.

She bluntly reaches for her weapon. The more she thinks about how rudely she's been treated, the more pissed off she feels. Now there's no way she'll simply let it slide.

-"Whassd'usfay, Uuu shiltupid bsutrad!"

She aims her weapon. She does. Only… since when Magnhild has a bottle form? Curious about this strange new appliance, she gives a tentative sip. It tastes like shit. She takes a deep gulp. Yep, it still tastes like shit. For some reason, she doesn't feel like stopping, and keeps on drinking until nothing else comes out.

There's a strange sense of accomplishment rising together with the ethylic warmth and a smile forms in her lips. The world is getting darker. She feels like she's falling, but that doesn't matter. That'll teach those bastards.

* * *

Nora Valkyrie dreams about the past. To say it was a happy past would be a big fat lie, but it had it's moments. She doesn't really remember when she met Ren, they were too young. As far as she's concerned, they very well could've been together since the start.

Heh… thinking back, that was paradise. For each tear spilled, there was a pat on her back. For each nightmare, a warm embrace. For each inadequate meal, a raid to the kitchens. For each unfair punishment, someone to share the pain.

Then Beacon came, and she could only feel hope. They were still together, they had a team, a bigger family. They would become awesome hunters and save the world, maybe they'll even share the glory with team RWBY, they were great friends after all.

If only that dream had lasted longer… The first sign was Yang's strange behavior at the tournament. They really should've dug deeper into it, but the excitement of the event blind them, and they let it slip without thinking too much. Then Pyrrha killed that robot and everything went to hell.

Pyrrha… Pyrrha… didn't deserve her resentment, and she knew it. But back then… it was hard not to trace everything back to that moment. The things she said…

Suddenly, Nora's back in front of her. She wears a long, sleeveless black dress, see-through from the cleavage upwards and held on her shoulders by small golden pins. Her blazing red hair is held in a bun by a black net. She looks gorgeous even in mourning clothes.

She walks towards her, with a sad look in her green eyes, and Nora feels the impulse to hug her and cry her eyes out in the girl's comforting embrace. She grits her teeth, nauseated by her own weakness. The only person allowed to comfort her lies in a coffin in that very room. While Pyrrha, on the other hand…

Nora's gaze goes beyond her, to the blonde boy awkwardly wearing a black suit while trying to go unnoticed.

-"Nora, we…"

-"Stop it" -Nora's voice seems more like a growl than actual words- "I don't need your pity."

-"Nora?"

-"Some Pride of Mistral you are! Some Invencible Girl!" -It's no fair, it's not her fault. But knowing it only makes the frustration stronger- "Where were you when he needed you the most! Too busy looking good in front of your dumb crush?"

-"Nora!" -Jaune has kept silent until now, trying to keep up with the situation- "You can't just..."

-"You stay out of this!" -The boy doesn't dare say anything else, and she focuses back on the bitch- "You… you must be feeling in cloud nine, getting all lovey-dovey with your stupid blondie, but what about me?"

-"I'm sorry…"

Here it comes, Pyrrha's trademarked good girl apology. But she's not in the mood, not today.

-"You should have died instead of him" -She feels a guilty pleasure in the effect her words have- "Give me back my family, bitch!"

Pyrrha pales and stumbles backwards, that feels good, but the satisfaction abruptly ends when Jaune grabs the hands of the almost crying girl, immediately calming her ruins everything. Nora's rage tempers, quickly going from boiling hot to freezing cold as she turns around.

-"You are not welcome here, leave or I'll kick you out myself."

* * *

Nora opens her eyes with a groan, that was an unpleasant dream. Her head hurts, her throat hurts, her eyes hurt, her back hurts, something stinks… She tries to stand up, but her limbs painfully refuse to cooperate, so she settles for moving her head around. Wow, even that's enough to make her feel dizzy. She got plastered for good last night…

Seems like some gentle soul dragged her out of the main street, where she would've no doubt been stepped into death, and laid her down somewhere warm and discreet: a trash pile. They also took her scroll. Not her bottle though, if only she had the strength to catch a sip…

She tries her best to reach it with her limited mobility, but ends up giving up. Her head aches really bad and she only wants to curl up. Maybe she'll try again after sleeping for a bit longer.

* * *

-"Who does that psycho think she is, talking like that to the Champion?"

The words were spoken in a whisper, but they were obviously intended for her to hear. She doesn't react, let them badmouth her all they want. They are only words after all.

-"Pyrrha would've finished that monster in a cinch, but she chose to protect the people instead, I'd say that was the right call." -The voice continues- "Not like some glory-thirsty idiot who rushed in for the kill."

*Twitch*

-"Yeah" -answers a second voice- "And what's she getting all worked up for anyway? It's not like that Lie Ren did anything worth mentioning after all..."

-"The fool goes and gets himself killed without accomplishing shit, and now she takes it out on our champion?" -Only words Nora reminds herself, clenching her fists- "Honestly, I only came pay my respects because I thought she would be around..."

-"Right? She was so pretty in that mourning dress…" -This is Ren's funeral, don't make a scene- "As if I cared about an idiot incapable of doing his job..."

-"No shit, if you want to become a hunter, you should be able to do at least that much…"

That's when Nora's sight goes red. Insults to herself, she doesn't mind. But this… unfairness is more than she can take. Ignorant fools that neither were there nor know the slightest thing about their situation, egoistically placing all the blame where they find more convenient.

Unaware of how much they had fought already that day, of how tired Ren was even before facing Cinder.

Ignorant of the strength of their enemy, a witch who had the power of the Fall Maiden at her disposal.

Uninterested in the meaning of being a hunter, only seeing them as convenient tools to shield them from the ugly world outside their everyday lives.

Blinded by the image of the Mystral Champion, an idol that didn't even exist in reality, siding with a cowardly girl who turned away from her duty.

Pushing the blame onto a young boy that did his absolute best to protect others.

When she regains her senses, she's being held by no less than six people, and someone is taking a stretcher away. Her fists are dripping with blood.

* * *

She wakes up again, stifling a yell. Her head still hurts like a bitch, but she's fully awake. No trace of drunkenness either. Now she remembers everything clearly. She has no place to go back to. She has no family waiting for her.

She's truly alone.

Why didn't she do more to protect Beacon? It hurts to have no home.

Why didn't she fight alongside Ren? Dying with him would've been better

Why did she take it out on her friends? They hate her now.

What should she do now? After the mess at the funeral, she's probably a wanted criminal now.

She can't find the strength to stand up. So she doesn't. To her surprise, sleepiness takes a hold on her again, and she closes her eyes. There's no point in fighting anyway…

* * *

-"Nora, Nora!" -A hand presses her shoulder- "Are you alright?"

No, she isn't. She only wants to keep lying there. But the hand doesn't give up, gently shaking her now. In an attempt of discourage it, she groans softly and turns around.

-"Come on, you can't lie there, that's not healthy!"

The concerned voice gains clarity. Against her best efforts, she's waking up. She still plays asleep for a while, but when the hand starts giving her soft slaps, she finally opens her eyes with indignation.

-"Hey...!" -She was going to says something else, but all coherent thought vanishes when she recognises the one if front of her- "Pyrrha? What are you doing here?"

-"We were worried about you, dummy."

She looks behind her, there's Jaune too. Without a hint of malice in their eyes, they look honestly relieved about finding her. How can that be? After all the cruel things she said back then… Oh! There's one explanation after all.

-"I see, I'm dreaming again…" -Her head could've stopped hurting, though- "Hey Pyrrha, I… I'm sorry about everything I said back then."

-"Don't worry, I regret not being there too."

-"No, that's not what I mean!" -She couldn't forgive herself if she sends the girl in another guilt trip- "I'm not blaming you, you did your best, like everyone else, is just…"

-"You were hurt, and didn't know what to do with all the pain?" -Jaune interrupts- "We've all been there at some point, we understand."

-"Then you are not… mad?"

-"Hey, what's a bit of quarrel amongst family?" -Jaune's smile could make the sun green with envy, no wonder Pyrrha is head over heels for him- "Don't even mention it."

-"Then… that's all?" -This is a really good dream, no matter how much her head hurts- "You guys are so good you're practically asking for someone to take advantage of it. So… what are your plans now?"

-"Well… I've been talking with Ruby lately, seems like she wants to investigate Haven. Will you join us?"

-"You're kidding? You two plus Ruby? I'd better be there to make sure you guys don't get conned the first day!"

Pyrrha offers her a hand, and she takes it without hesitation, using the help to spring up from the floor. As they leave the alley, even the smell of the trash seems less stinky. Best. Dream. Ever.

* * *

 **Ren died instead of Pyrrha. That was the premise of this story. Because, you know… when you don't really feel close to the character you're writing about, nothing like a good tearjerker to solve the problem!. Or I least that was the idea. I still don't feel that close to Nora and this is probably the work with the lowest effort/results ratio I've ever written.**

 **It's been especially hard to balance that 'random' factor around Nora, so it was there without taking hold of everything, and without it looking like typos or overall poor style. Since I'm not that confident about my style, that was doubly hard…**

 **At some point I even wondered if it was worth sending it to the contest. But it would be a waste to just keep in the drawer after taking the time to write it, right? Not like I'm competing only to win either…**

 **Anyway, hope you could enjoy (suffer) reading this as much as I did writing!**

 **-Planeshunter**


	4. July 2016 Closet Virgin

**Konnichiwa, konnichiwa, Planeshunter desu!**  
 **So... yeah, i'm still alive, even if just barely. Things happening, time scarce, urge tu kill risin... nevermind that last thing. Anyway here's my entry to July's MonCon, with [Favorite Character] and [Fluff]. Me being me I'm sure the fluff part won't be that great, but I'll do my best. Enjoy!**

 **Edit: Hm... Seems like I didn't made it in time to submit this. Hard luck I guess '**

* * *

"I'll be late!"

It's not that she's unfamiliar with the streets of Vale, or the sea of people caught her unaware. It's far from being her first time around, afterall. But even then, she's running late. There's something inextricably different in going somewhere with a purpose, as opposed to the way she usually just wandered around, lazily lunging around. Heck, even when she actually had plans, she was always the last to turn up, unconcerned with the time or how long others waited for her. That simply won't do today.

Every serene step she takes in the crowded street is a little victory against the panicking voice in her head, urging her to break into a run. She doubts it's expected of her to arrive first, but what she knows about dating etiquette was blurry at best when it came to couples of the same sex. In any case being there in advance can hardly turn out to be a bad idea..

Finally reaching the meeting point, a small garden plaza arranged around a dog statue, she casts a suspicious glance around. No more pink, white or brown than expected in a perfectly normal and psycho-midget-free street. Looks like she arrived first after all. _What are you so worried about anyway?_ She asks to her reflection in a nearby shop window _It's just a first date. Even Ruby has had one by now, and if that little anxiety ball survived, you can do it too._

To psyche herself, she practices some poses in front of the improvised mirror. She's been struggling to find something to wear, but in the end she chose a flashy and slightly revealing dress in black and yellow. _I look like a damn wasp_. That might work in her favor tho, she's gonna need all the edge she can muster.

Confident attitude and smirk? Well, that's pretty much a second nature for her by now… one doesn't bluff this long without acquiring some habits, right?. Lush, bright, fresh, and overall perfect golden hair? Damn right check. Is she digging her own grave by setting the expectations way too high? Most likely.

 _Of course, Ruby was pretty much expected to act all awkwardly anyways, so there was no way she could fumble it._ She continues, fixing a golden lock out of place _But I'm supposed to be an expert! Dust, is my pride going to survive this?_

The thought alone is enough to deflate her. How did things get so out of hand? At first, she only wanted to look mature. There's only one thing you associate with being mature at certain age, after all. That, and to shut the traps of the overhormoned pre-teens around her with a poised attitude. Then, before she knew it, she had built a _reputation_. Oh, a reputation she enjoyed to the fullest, of course.

Even if that meant she couldn't get into any kind of relationship without making a fool out of herself. Not that it mattered, she had never felt anything worth that… until now. For the last time, she looks at her reflection, and has to bite her tongue to hold back a startled yelp. Right behind her, under different-coloured eyes, lies the most shit-eating smile she's ever seen.

-"N… Neo! Here you are!" -She says instead, turning around. _Shit, shit, shit, what did she see? What kind of faces was I making?_ \- "You! are... beautiful today..."

Damn right she is, Yang was prepared for for a slight change of image, maybe something with her hair or a good makeover, but this is too much. A black, sleeveless one piece, riveted with pink frills at the hem of the skirt, right under her knees. A matching bolero jacket covers her shoulders, also black and riveted. Purple ribbons masterfully complete the set, adorning her head, waist and ankles. Where did her peculiar sense of fashion go? And how does she manage to look so stunning showing so little? Now she feels like a bitch in her own dress.

The small woman turns her head sideways, still smiling widely, and Yang doesn't need to be a mind reader to understand the taunt.

-"You have been here the whole time, right?" -Neo nods- "Damn you and your semblance. Come on, let's go."

She starts walking without looking back, lest she shows her raging blush. Caught red handed. Great, just great. She better finds something to keep the squirt's attention before she embarasses herself anymore.

* * *

 _This is not good, not good at all!_ Yang has spent the whole date shifting from gallant to spoiled, all the while Neo has just smiled and gone along, letting her dig herself a deeper grave. And now, somehow, they're in an elegant-looking bar, surrounded by expensive drinks she's sure could knock her down in a single sip.

Of course, no one expects her to be weak to alcohol, but expectations don't mean shit. Maybe she can order something obscure and flashy that won't actually kill her? She seems to remember reading something about fake drinks for posers like her, so she spares a hopeful glance around, maybe there's some kind of clue in the menu?

But instead of a paper with a list of extravagant names, she only finds that knowing smile that's been bugging her the whole evening. And two pink eyes. And a tricolor hair flowing down her shoulders like a cascade. And two creamy shoulders, delightfully visible now that she's taken off her bolero. And two definitively noticeable mounds that… _No, bad girl!_

-"What will the ladies have?"

Way too soon, the barman addresses them. Yang knows her drinks, she's gone through the pain of studying cocktails in case something like this were to happen. But of course, everything slipped her mind before that cheshire smile (and creamy moun… _bad girl!_ ). It won't do to stutter or ask for more time, she's got a confident image to protect. Now that it comes to it, she'll just have to ask for the first thing that comes her mind and hope for the best.

-"I'll have an Aunt Roberta" - _Shit!_ \- "What would you have, Neo?"

The woman simply raises two fingers. The same then, now, if only she can manage to throw away her own cocktail unnoticed, maybe she won't end dead drunk tonight.

* * *

Somehow… she strongly closes her eyes for a couple of seconds, trying to keep her thoughts straight. Somehow she's managed to accompany Neo all the way back to their meeting place without falling or tripping. As expected, throwing away her drink without the ex-criminal noticing was impossible after all, so she had no choice but grin and bear it. Their date didn't last much longer after that.

I couldn't be helped, really. She was in no condition to speak without stuttering, and trying to get Neo to lead the conversation was impossible for obvious reasons. It wasn't too long until both of them began stifling yawns, so she decided to cut her loses and call it a day.

-"Well, here we are" - _don't bite your tongue, don't bite your tongue!_ \- "I guess you won't let me escort you home?"

The woman shakes her head softly, taking a couple of steps back. Well, that's to be expected. Maybe she's trying to reform herself, but she's still on a search warrant, it wouldn't do to reveal her hideout to a drunk teenager that's all hot air.

 _So… how do you rate today's date?_ Failure, with capital 'F'. Neo hasn't pushed it, but that knowing smile of hers shows she's seen through all her poses. Even now, as the small woman leans her back against a wall, her lips curve upwards in a relaxed smirk that seems to say 'you can't fool me, kid'.

Maybe the alcohol is doing something other than making her dumb, because that attitude is somehow pissing her off more than it should. She steps closer, feeling a slight frown forming in her own brows. Her pride is no facade after all, and no one one-ups Yang Xiao-Long. Neo's smirk fades as she gets closer, replaced by a slightly fearful expression.

For some reason, that makes her all hot and bothered, another step is taken without her even noticing, and then another one. She only realizes what she's doing when her hands lean on the wall, effectively trapping the smaller woman, who seems uncharacteristically subdued.

Her confident presence gone, Neo seems to shrink, and Yang finally realizes that, even though she's bending forward, the woman still needs to look upwards to lock gazes. Unsure of what to do next, she tentatively keeps getting closer, at some level, her mind screams it's a trap, and she half-expects to be denied and made fun of at any time now, but she can't seem to care anymore. And to her surprise, their lips touch without any of that happening.

 _That's wrong!?_ She thinks, panicking at the softness and warmth invading her lips _Why's Neo letting me do this? Is she… taking pity?_ Just an act to let her save face, that makes sense. Whatever, it's too late to back now, and beggars really can't be choosers. _Don't mess it up now, Xiao-Long, keep it passionate, not drooly. And control those hands, is a first date, for crying out loud!_

It's hard to focus on doing it right, though, with the woman trembling slightly under her touch and the way her embrace is clumsily reciprocated by smaller hands. Still, she needs to control herself, because suddenly she doesn't want the date to end here, and knowing what she should do barely helps contain herself. Is this heaven or hell?

* * *

Yang looks back right before turning the corner, and Neo waves goodbye again. But as soon as she makes sure the younger girl won't be coming back, she collapses on her knees. Her first kiss… absent-mindedly, she caresses her lips with a finger. It's been even better than she expected. It's a bit humiliating to be led around by a younger woman, but that couldn't be helped. Yang is the one with experience after all.

All the day she's been one step ahead, knightly when appropriate, only to taunt her with little selfish acts when she knew they would fluster her the most. And the way she was tricked to drink that bomb called 'Aunt Roberta'... honestly, why didn't they serve straight-up ethanol? It was naive of her to think she could fool her with just a smile and self-confidence! No doubt her leoness has hunted better liars.

There was no point in trying to act composed if her act was going to be seen through to this extent. Maybe she should come out more honestly in their next date…

* * *

 **And... cut!  
** **Well, this is it for now, folks. Surprise! we don't get one, but two closet virgins. This idea seemed so hylarous I couldn't resist, I hope it ended up as cute as intended too. There's the matter of skipping the date altogether, I could have used it to build up the punchline and overall cuteness, and there's actually some discarded textg about it, but in the end it wasn't required and time was ticking, so... yeah. Crap. I hate to do this. Is this how it feels to work on a clock? Cuz it sucks.  
** **My best piece? Hardly, I can only apologice for that. Hopefully things will get better in a couple of weeks and I can redeem myself. Then again, it's not the first time I say that, right? Haha... yeah.  
** **Dear me, and MAPL is still missing one chapter to finish Volume 1, for whoever is waiting, fear not, for I have not forgotten. That said, there were some mistakes in The Stray (2) that I don't want to repeat, so I'm taking all the time it needs. I hope you guys can find in your hearts how to forgive me.**


End file.
